4 Kid-Friendly Airports to Help You Get Through Holiday Travel Hell

Cramped gate areas, overpriced junk food, and endless schleps through drab terminals don’t do much for those struggling with strollers and diaper bags. But luckily, airlines and airports are finding inventive new ways to keep kids happy on the fly.

A kid friendly airport sounds like an oxymoron— for most families, airports aren’t exactly welcoming environments. A few airports, mercifully, do at least offer play areas and quiet zones for young fliers; recently, private areas for nursing mothers began popping up in spots like New York’s LaGuardia and Newark airports. Many major airports are undergoing a makeover, which gives them a chance to offer more space to families—and, not incidentally, away from the rest of their customers, who might prefer kid-free zones.

So where to find these happy havens? That depends on not just what airport you’re flying out of, but which airline and terminal—a lot of the impetus is coming from individual carriers. JetBlue, for example, has recently added an outdoor play area at its “Wooftop”—a sort of outdoor park cum observation deck, with separate areas for pets and children. And early next year the airline will unveil a much larger indoor kids’ lounge adjacent to its new “potato farm” with an educational bent: it will feature interactive displays and games that teach kids (and perhaps their parents as well) all about how airplanes fly, the job of inflight crewmembers, the role of Air Traffic Control in what’s being conceived as a mini Air and Space Museum.

“We wanted it to have an aviation theme; it’s part of an overall STEM initiative,” said Icema Gibbs, JetBlue’s head of corporate social responsibility.

The project took shape when the airline added a new concourse at its flagship JFK home. “We’ve always had some sort of space for kids to play in but it’s never really lived up to our standards,” Gibbs said. “When we look at what world class airports offer, what’s especially important is a kids’ space. It’s like a bit of sunshine for traveling families.” Among other things, occupants may be able to look out on the farm (which is accessible by invitation only); other possible additions include a butterfly exhibition and even a bee hive. Other features: a quiet zone with books for reading, and a section for older children who can do their own thing away from the rug rat crowd.

American and British Airways also offer children's activities at many of their airport lounges (which of course require a premium ticket and/or a club membership to access.)

These four airports are pulling out all the stops to keep children (and parents) smiling:

Boston Logan: Beantown’s main hub has two indoor playgrounds, dubbed Kidports, with a nod to the surroundings with a baggage claim slide, a mini airplane and replicas of air traffic control towers. Especially welcome is a separate space for infants and toddlers.

Chicago O’Hare: The busiest airport in the world by some measures, it’s where many families end up in layover limbo; if that’s the case, head straight for the “Kids on the Fly” playground in Terminal 2 near gate F1; designed by the city’s Children’s Museum, it’s an aviation-themed interactive exhibits with a mock ATC tower, airplane refueling station, and other amusements, plus an ample supply of Lego toys. Terminal 5 has a fire safety exhibit specifically designed for children, near gate M12, and in the B concourse of Terminal 1 there’s that ultimate kid-pleaser—a 72-foot dinosaur skeleton donated by the Field Museum.

Orlando: While kids will have already had their fill of amusement parks if they’re returning home from vacation, two Kennedy Space Center stores on Level 3 of Terminals B and G should appeal to their inner astronaut. There’s also a King Kong Arcade in the main terminal with pinball machines and the like.

San Francisco: The SFO Kids Spot, designed by the city’s famed Exploratorium, has a play area with weather-themed displays and activities, plus a popular Plasma Wall that’s activated by sounds. It’s located in Terminal 3 near gate 87A.
Other airports with flying-themed play areas, Lego stations and other activities include Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit Metro, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle Tacoma.